


face it (you want it, you crave it)

by malachaiprker



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Library, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Damon is abusive and also a cheater but they're (obviously) not endgame so, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Cheating, rating will change when there's smut, sort of? except for kai is also a little shit who gets on bonnie's nerves too, un-edited and un-beta'd so pls dont drag me thnaks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:20:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29948514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malachaiprker/pseuds/malachaiprker
Summary: “Y’know, I’ve seen a lot of exam cramming in my time, but five hours of reading a textbook? Do you still have a will to live?”Bonnie can’t help but be surprised by how nice his voice is; rich, warm, humorous. She smiles, looking down sheepishly. “It’s been a day, that’s for sure.” She’s not sure why she says it. Usually, divulging to a stranger that she’s had a rough go of it would be a little too forward for her style.orBonnie is focused on college, but her boyfriend Damon is focused on ruining their already strained relationship. She finds her escape from unexpectedly befriending the weird kid who works at the Whitmore Library. Written as a gift for makeashadow / foxdvlwild.
Relationships: Bamon for plot reasons, Bonnie Bennett/Malachai "Kai" Parker
Comments: 22
Kudos: 37





	face it (you want it, you crave it)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [makeashadow_ao3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/makeashadow_ao3/gifts).



“Are you sure you can't put off the nerd stuff until tomorrow?” Damon asks her, a near whine in his voice. They’ve stopped outside of the Whitmore Library, Bonnie carrying her books and Damon carrying nothing but the keys to his car he just dropped her off with. “You know how much Giuseppe wants me and Stef to attend the Founder’s Day party. It’s just not going to be a very good look if I show up date-less, so..."

Bonnie scoffs. “It’s not ‘nerd stuff’, Damon, it’s an important test I have to study for. And no, I can’t cram tomorrow, because like I  _ told  _ you earlier, the test is at 9 AM.” 

Damon deflates like a balloon. “And what, you need an _entire_ day of studying?”

She just stares at him. “Yes. Yeah, I do. I’ll talk to you after I’m done cramming.” She starts to turn, walking up the rest of the steps, when he seizes her by the arm, holding her tightly. Too tightly.

“Bonnie, please. You don’t want me to take someone else, do you?” His tone is pleading and his dark brows are furrowed, but there’s an underlying threat in his words that she hates. 

She yanks her arm away, anger flaring. There’s a little hurt, too-- she’s used to the way he treats her, and tries to remind herself that her boyfriend has temper issues he’s working on, but threatening to take someone else as a date?

“What is that supposed to mean?” she asks quietly, internally praying he’ll come to his senses immediately and apologize. She can still feel the faint bruising of his fingers digging into her arm and it hurts almost as much.

Damon sighs, running a hand over his face. “Look, you know what this means to my family. I’m the Salvatore heir, and if I show up without a date it breaks tradition."

“So, what, are you gonna ask Elena?” When his brows shoot up in surprise, she scoffs. “Don’t act like you haven’t been sneaking around behind my back to spend time with her.” The resentment is rising up now, clouding her vision with unshed tears. It’s been like this for months-- their relationship has been more and more strained, but Bonnie’s traitorous best friend hadn’t seemed to notice. She’d been too busy buddying up with both Salvatores. Apparently one wasn’t enough for her, and even Stefan had noticed this by now.

“Bonnie, wait--” He says, but she’s already turning, yanking open the library door.

She charges into the study area, slinging her bag down onto one of the tables. She notices movement from the corner of her eye and looks up to see the blonde girl working behind the check out desk. Liv, she’s pretty sure her name is. Liv is pointing to a sign on the wall that reads _‘Please keep quiet’_ in bold, white letters. 

Bonnie mouths ‘sorry’ to her and the curly haired girl just presses her lips into an unamused line, dark eyes flicking away in annoyance as she returns her attention to whatever book she’s reading.

Bonnie settles into one of the chairs and pulls a textbook from her bag, cracking it open to the right chapter. Skimming through it to get a refresher, at least an hour passes before she looks up again. Some students that had been here earlier are gone, and Liv is too. In her place is a tall, dark-haired guy facing away from her as he organizes books on a cart. His jean jacket has a Pink Floyd symbol patched on the back, a flannel poking out from beneath it. When he turns to grab a book from the counter, she sees his handsome profile. Long, sloping nose and expressive eyes. He’s baby faced to an extent, but without any of the chub that normally goes along with that. His features are slim and pretty, and when his eyes flick over to her, she flushes immediately. Being caught staring is never not awkward.

She tries to salvage the interaction by giving him a tight smile. He smirks in obvious amusement, looking back at his cart.

Bonnie’s blushing so hard her ears are burning. Not sure why she’s so affected by this stranger, she turns her gaze back to her book and attempts to focus on the words on the page. 

It’s not until past library closing time that she realizes she’s the only one left, book still propped open and her notebook page crammed full of hastily jotted notes. She looks around for the boy from earlier, and nearly jumps out of her skin when she realizes he’s just behind her, rolling the now empty cart. He pushes it towards the counter and turns to face her, his large pupiled eyes glinting with curiosity. 

“Y’know, I’ve seen a lot of exam cramming in my time, but _ five hours  _ of reading a textbook? Do you still have a will to live?” 

Bonnie can’t help but be surprised by how nice his voice is; rich, warm, humorous. She smiles, looking down sheepishly. “It’s been a day, that’s for sure.” She’s not sure why she says it. Usually, divulging to a stranger that she’s had a rough go of it would be a little too forward for her style.

“Is it about your boyfriend?” he asks, surprising her. “I saw you two have a lover’s quarrel on the steps while I was coming in for my shift.”

“Um… Kinda, yeah. Sorry you had to see that. Shoulda took the fight elsewhere.”

Kai waves his hand. “It’s not like you asked him to embarrass you in public. Anyway, I’m not as tactful as Dr. Phil is, but if you need to talk about it…”

A smile tugs on Bonnie’s lips. “I don’t even know your name.” She can’t remember the last time she’s felt this shy.

“My parents named me Malachai, but since I’m not a Powerpuff Girls villain, I usually tell people to call me Kai.”

Bonnie can’t help it; she laughs this time. “Powerpuff girls? A man with refined taste.”

“My twin sister made me watch it with her when we were kids. But I say ‘made’ loosely.”

“My name’s Bonnie,” she says, and then sighs. “We just met… I don’t think you want me to unpack this drama.”

“Please,” Kai says, gesturing at the empty library. “What else am I gonna do, my closing tasks? I need entertainment while I work. If it’s not from you, it’ll just be a podcast. So spill. If you want to, I mean. I’m not your Dad.”

Bonnie bites back on her grin, still unsure why she feels suddenly compelled to share her entire love life with a stranger. “It’s, um… I think my boyfriend is cheating on me with my best friend, basically.”

Kai’s brows fly upward so fast it’s almost comical. “Wait,  _ he’s  _ cheating on  _ you?  _ The guy that was out front with you?”

Bonnie nods, the back of her throat feeling tighter. “I don’t think he or Elena know I saw this text she sent him a couple weeks back…” She looks away, embarrassed. “I dunno, I just… I guess I kept hoping there was some explanation for it, or he’d come clean if it was actually cheating. I thought we were stronger than that.” 

“Look, I know I just said I’m not your Dad, but that guy even _looks_ way  too old for you. And you’re obviously way out of his league, so… My advice? Dump him.”

Bonnie’s amusement melts away, replaced by sudden and unexpected annoyance. “I didn’t ask for your advice, though,” she points out. 

Kai turns, walking behind the counter as if already anticipating the conversation is about to be over. “Look, Bonnie, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I doubt your friend Elena was ever going to give it, so..."

“Guys don’t give advice like that. Not unless they want in your pants instead,” she points out, distantly realizing how bold she’s being. How confident she sounds. She tries to remember the last time she's stood up for herself to Damon like she's doing with this complete stranger right now.

Kai’s eyes have a dark glimmer to them. He leans across the counter lazily, like a cat. She has no idea why she already hates him, when two seconds ago she’d been ready to bare her soul to him. “Bonnie, whether or not I want in your pants has nothing to do with you being too young and hot for your  _ Hugh Hefner  _ of a boyfriend.”

“This is insane,” she murmurs, slamming her textbook shut. “We just met like ten minutes ago. I’m sorry I stayed after close.” Her tone is clipped and formal again; the kind she should’ve been using to begin with, for some guy who works at the library that she doesn’t even know. She’s not sure why he just got a rise out of her at all. 

As she stands, slinging her bag over her shoulder, she can feel Kai watching her. 

“Have a good night, Bon,” he calls as she leaves. 

She doesn’t answer. 

**Author's Note:**

> take a shot every time i type 'stranger' lmfao
> 
> also kai made the powerpuff girls joke and i was like... why is this on my brain. and then i remembered cw is rebooting powerpuff girls hiewhigornehjn like i'm sorry, whAt
> 
> comment if u want a continuation of this. also follow me at malachaiprker on tumblr pls and thanks
> 
> also i love u selah xoxo


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